Each day through the NHL Draft on June 22 and up until free agency on July 1, TSN.ca breaks down the latest news and rumours around the NHL.

 

Playing it Out

Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov has one season left on the three-year, $14.3 million bridge contract he signed with the team in 2016 and is eligible to sign an extension on July 1. However, Kucherov's agent, Dan Milstein, told The Athletic no contract talks are expected to take place this summer.

The 24-year-old will be a restricted free agent for the final time next summer and, as Milstein pointed out, he will be arbitration eligible. "He wants to stay in Tampa - he doesn't want to go anywhere," Milstein said. "Worst case, it's arbitration. They're not going to lose him. Both sides want him to be in Tampa."

TSN Hockey Insider Bob McKenzie told TSN Radio 690 in Montreal late last week that Kucherov and his agent will be looking to cash in next summer after taking a bridge deal in the last negotiation. He wonders whether Kucherov could become trade bait if the Lightning don't want to make him one of the league's highest paid players.

“Well, it gets interesting because Kucherov’s got what, one year left on his three-year bridge deal if I’m not mistaken, so he’s eligible for an extension,” McKenzie said. “Does he get it. If so, how much. Are they less inclined to give it to him now than they were before the playoffs because let’s be honest, he was a Hart Trophy candidate all season long based on how he played. And while he did get some power play goals in the playoffs, his overall play was uninspired, I thought. Defensively he looked pretty weak.

“So anyways, that’s a big question. And if you’re not inclined to sign him - and I think you’ve got to look at the climate, or take the temperature of the potential of re-signing. The perception is, and I think - someone will correct me if I’m wrong - but want to say that somewhere along the line, Kucherov or his agent said that the team had all the leverage in the last negotiation and used it to their fullest extent to get the three-year bridge deal for the money that he’s currently making, which based on how he played this year would be a bargain. But I think Kucherov and/or his agent said when the shoe’s on the other foot next time it’ll be me using all the leverage that I’ve got – or paraphrasing, something along those lines.

“If that’s the case, then what you read between the lines is this guy probably sees himself as a $10 million a year player. And on a Tampa Bay team where they’ve tried to really do a good job of keeping the numbers low and not getting into double-digit numbers and getting Stamkos at the number they got him when he pulled himself back from free agency a couple of summers ago, that’ll be a fascinating one.

“So if you’re not going to sign him, or you don’t think you can sign him, then is a trade in the offing with a year left to go. So then you start to get into sort of Erik Karlsson-type waters this coming summer for those guys.”

Kucherov, who finished third in the NHL in points this season with 102 and tied for ninth in goals with 39, carries a cap hit of $4.76 million.

He has scored 30 or more goals in each of the previous three seasons and had seven goals and 17 points in 17 playoff games this spring. Steven Stamkos is the Lightning's highest paid player, carrying an $8.5 million cap hit, followed by defenceman Victor Hedman, who has a $7.88 million hit.


Now or Never?

Roger Mooney of The Tampa Bay Times believes the Lightning are likely to make only minor tweaks this off-season after falling just shy of the Stanley Cup Final, but adds that Tyler Johnson's full no-trade clause kicks on July 1 and general manager Steve Yzerman may elect to move the 27-year-old while he still has the flexibility to do so.

Johnson is heading into the second season of the seven-year, $35 million contract he signed with the Lightning last July. He scored 21 goals and posted 50 points in 81 games this season, adding three goals and eight points in 17 playoff games.

Mooney believes Yzerman could make a more minor move in trading defenceman Slater Koekkoek, a restricted free agent who played in 35 games during the regular season but spent the playoffs as a healthy scratch. He also believes the team could let both Chris Kunitz and Andrej Sustr walk as unrestricted free agents, noting Kunitz is likely to find more money elsewhere. He had 13 goals and 29 points during the regular season, but recored just one assist in 17 postseason games.
 

On the Way Back

After spending two seasons in the KHL, it appears 2013 first-round pick Valeri Nichushkin will be back with the Dallas Stars this fall.

Nichushkin's agent, Mark Gandler, told The Athletic that the 23-year-old is looking to return to North America and he expects the two sides to be able to work out a contract for the restricted free agent in the near future.

“Val very much wants to come back,” Gandler said. “Dallas wants him back and we are just very hopeful we’ll be able to take care of this very soon.”

Stars general manager Jim Nill said last July he expected Nichushkin to return for the 2018-19 season after completing his two-year deal with CSKA Moscow. Nill elected to protect Nichushkin in last year's Vegas Golden Knights expansion draft.

Nichushkin, 22, was selected 10th overall in the 2013 draft by the Stars. He scored nine goals and added 20 assists with the team in 79 games during the 2015-16 season.

He scored 16 goals and posted 27 points in 50 with CSKA Moscow this season. Though he was considered a likley candidate to play for Russia in the Olympics, Nichushkin was one of five Russian hockey players barred from the tournament by the IOC. No reason was given by the IOC at the time.

The right winger scored 14 goals and recorded 20 assists as a rookie with the Stars in 2013-14. He played in only eight games during the 2014-15 campaign due to hip surgery.